Worries
by hansen123
Summary: Laurence/Granby. VoE spoilers! Well, I'd guess I'd say it's pretty obvious, the story I mean.


_Temeraire, Laurence/Granby. VoE spoilers! This is the first fanfic I've written - ever. I tried to read it through carefully, but there might be (probably are) some misspellings and grammatical errors. English isn't my native language._

The November sun wasn't quite enough to keep Laurence warm. He stood a few feet away from the Loch Laggan lake, shivering with his arms crossed against his chest. Temeraire was clearly enjoying himself, splashing water over his back with his head. Today they were alone for once. Temeraire came out of the water and peered down at Laurence.  
>"Are you very cold?" he asked and lowered his head. The cold water dripped down on Laurence, who instantly took a few steps back. "You can head back to the covert if you prefer and I'll get there as soon as I dried a little bit."<br>"No, pray don't worry about me, my dear", Laurence said.  
>"Are you certain you are feeling well? You seem so very distant."<br>"I'm sorry I've made you worry. I have quite a lot on my mind at the moment, but I promise to try to be more relaxed." He smiled reassuringly and Temeraire settled with the answer.  
>Laurence picked up a linen from the pile he had dropped on the ground and started rubbing the black scales. It took quite some time to do it on his own, but the happy rumbling noise coming from deep down the dragon's throat when he was done was so satisfying that it was worth the effort.<p>

Back at the covert Temeraire settled on the heated stones and immediately fell asleep. Laurence looked up towards the sky. It was dark by now and almost everyone must have finished supper. But he was to hungry to care about the late hour so he headed towards the dining hall.

He had been right in his assumption - only a few fellows from the ground crews were still there, except from Captain Granby. He was sitting alone at the officers' table with a plate he hadn't touched and an emptied bottle of wine in front of him. Laurence walked up to him, but Granby didn't even look up.  
>"What's bothering you, John?" Laurence said in low voice.<br>"What?" Granby finally noticed him. "Oh, it's only you, Laurence."  
>"Did you expect someone else? Shall I leave?"<br>"No, no, pray sit down."  
>Laurence hesitated a moment, then he pulled out the chair next to Granby's and sat down. Granby didn't say anything more. He had his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands. Tolly came with plate and a glass of wine for Laurence, but he didn't touch it. He was about to ask Granby what was wrong again, but suddenly the other man looked at him.<br>"I can't control her. I'm afraid that she is going to be the first dragon to get executed in Britain in over one hundred years, they'll probably hang me as well."  
>"What has she done now?" There was no need to say that it was Iskierka they were talking about.<br>"When we were patrolling today she took of with a bunch of the ferals to go price-hunting, she wouldn't listen to me, nor anyone else for that part. She left the coastline completely unprotected! If a French dragon had slipped through we probably would be in court this very moment."  
>Laurence didn't know what to say. Iskierka was disobedient and she had been warned and improved, but the effect seemed to have worn off.<br>"She fights good enough but she will be for no use when the war is over, assuming we live that long."  
>"I do not think I'm suitable to give advice when it comes to disobedient beasts."<br>Granby snorted. "Maybe not, though the damage Temeraire is making might not be as immediate."  
>Laurence wanted to defend him, but it was true. Their treason had almost caused a successful occupation of England, even though they did it for the sake of the dragons.<br>Granby reached for his wineglass, but Laurence pulled it away from him.  
>"I think you've had enough of that."<br>Granby only sighed. Laurence had completely lost his appetite, but forced himself to eat some chicken and potatoes. He drank all the wine, mostly because he feared Granby would do it otherwise. Once he thought he'd eaten enough he rose and helped Granby up on his feet.  
>"I'll escort you to your room, if you do not mind?"<br>"Be my guest."

When they stood outside Granby's room the man said, "Laurence, will you pray come in with me, just for a moment?" Laurence hesitated, then he followed him inside.  
>Granby stood just a few feet away, looking at him with a tortured face.<br>"I fear I have broken the law one time too much", he said in low voice. "Then I think, how could it possibly matter?"  
>"Of course it matters, John. Only a fool would say it didn't matter", Laurence answered just as quiet.<br>Granby didn't say anything, he just stretched out his hand and touched Laurence's cheek. Laurence let the contact last a second, then he gently pushed down his arm.  
>"You are drunk", he said.<br>"Terribly", Granby agreed and stepped closer.  
>Laurence stepped back until he could feel the wall against his back.<br>"It's illegal."  
>"Says the man convicted for treason."<br>Granby was very close now, Laurence could feel his breath in his face. It smelled of wine.  
>"If it came out you would receive a death sentence as well."<br>"There is no gossiping within the corps."  
>"There surely are limits."<br>Granby just shook his head.  
>"If you can honestly say that you want me to leave you alone, I will obey. You may be a traitor, Laurence, but you are not a liar."<br>"I can't say that." His voice was surprisingly calm.  
>"Then why on earth are you being so reluctant?"<br>He didn't get a chance to answer. Granby pressed his lips against Laurence's and he found himself kissing the other man back. The taste of wine spread through his mouth and he found it rather unpleasant, though the kiss itself was not. Granby grabbed his neck and pulled him closer. Heat spread like fire throughout Laurence's body and he placed his arms around Granby's waist. The other captain let go of him and started struggling to get Laurence's coat of.  
>"Oh, damn you and your formality, Laurence!" he said as he failed the attempt.<br>The only answer he got was a weary smile. "It is quite late, John, and I do think one nights sleep would do you good."  
>"There are certain things I rather do than sleep."<br>"I imagine. Unfortunately, for you at least, I'm longing to rest in my own bed."  
>Granby did get the hint, which was not very gracefully made, and backed off.<br>"As you wish", he said shortly, seeming a bit angry about being rejected.  
>"Oh, cheer up, John. I will be back tomorrow."<br>There was an awkward moment when they just stood and looked at each other, then Laurence waved briefly and headed towards his own room.

The next day Laurence told Temeraire about his and Granby's encounter when they were flying down to the lake, just the two of them, in the afternoon. The dragon responded by humming from deep down his belly. As they landed he folded his wings neatly together and instead of jumping directly in the water as he used to, he stayed on land to talk to Laurence.  
>"Laurence", he said. "I do not find it repulsive or anything of that manner, the thought just never occurred to me. I haven't consider it a possibility." Laurence did share his view when it came to this, though he had been more aware of it than Temeraire.<br>"Do you think it can happen with dragons as well?"  
>"I'm afraid I do not have an answer to that question, my dear. I would suppose you know that better than I."<br>Temeraire hummed thoughtfully again. "Though I wish I hadn't let Iskierka have Granby, then this might had happened much sooner and you could have spared much time worrying. This is what's been bothering you, is it not?"  
>"Yes, my dear, it is." Laurence smiled towards the dragon. "But I dare say I will have plenty to worry about, even now."<p>

He found Granby in the dining hall, already about to finish his supper. He looked a bit worn out, surely a result from last evening's wine. Laurence sat down next to him.  
>"Will you wait for me?"<br>"Of course I will, Iskierka is asleep, thank God. I don't want her to get the opportunity to do another mischief."  
>Laurence smiled and dived into his plate.<p>

The door was barely closed before Granby kissed Laurence on the mouth. He was a bit surprised with the eager, he thought it had been a result of the alcohol last night. He took a step back and took of his coat, and the way he just dropped it on the floor made an unpleasant shiver go through Laurence's spine. He himself was more careful when he undressed - he folded his clothes and lay them in a neat pile on Granby's desk with his coat spread over it. Granby had gotten very impatient and slightly irritated before he joined him in the bed. He gave him a kiss and mumbled something about his "damn old navy manners."

Afterwards he said, "I dare say you have changed quite a lot since you were a fellow in the navy, Laurence, but I do not think you will ever give up your ways of arranging your clothes."  
>They were lying tightly entwined in the bed, Granby's arms wrapped around Laurence's chest. He could feel his breath in his neck and hear the heartbeats in his ears.<br>Laurence let out a little laugh. "There are certain things which will never change", he said. He thought, 'And certain things that will, despite how reluctant you might be', but he didn't say this aloud.


End file.
